The Flickcast

Google Now Comes to iOS

Posted on April 29, 2013

For Android users who’ve had a chance to experience just how good the Google Now service can be, this article won’t interest you as much. However, for the iOS users out there, this should be of great interest.

Not that we have anything against Apple’s Siri, but the Google Now service just gets the job done a bit better. Fortunately, Google Now has arrived for iOS.

It’s not a stand alone app but is, instead, part of the updated Google Search app for iOS. If you haven’t already downloaed it, you can grab it right here.

In case you’re somehow not familiar with Google Now, it’s an intelligent assistant that automatically presents users with information based on location, search history and more, without any action required by the user. It’s also really good at finding things like the nearest food when users asks specific questions like “I want tacos” or similar. Yes, that’s what Apple’s Siri is supposed to do, and it does. . . prety well.

Google Now just does it better. Sorry Apple. As with Maps, you’ve got some work to do in this area. Fortunately, competition is a good thing.

For more on Google Now, check out the official video after the break.

Latest ‘Pacific Rim’ Trailer Arrives

Posted on April 29, 2013

Today has already seen a couple new trailers arrive. We’ve always found that more trailers get relased on a Tuesday than a Monday. But heck, maybe things are changing? Or, Warner Bros. just can’t contain this particular one any longer.

The one in question is the latest for Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim which, to say the least, looks pretty darn exciting. We say that in large part due to its premise: Monsters vs. Giant Robots. Well, not robots exactly, more like mech. Still, it’s pretty darn cool.

This particular trailer was first seen at WonderCon last month, but now it’s available for all. That doesn’t mean it’s any less awesome. In fact, seeing it again now we’re reminded of how much we’re really looking forward to this one.

Check out the trailer after rthe break. Look for Pacific Rim in theaters on July 12.

Monday Freeview: ‘Happy Wars’ for the XBox Live Arcade

Posted on April 29, 2013

One thing we’ve seen with freebie titles on XBLA is that things can go either way. Sometimes you get Yaris (and the less said about that title the better). But sometimes, you get something that is worth spending even more time with than some of your full retail games. Happy Wars is one such game that follows the free to play model and something I’ve put in a fair share of time with since its release without ever needing to spend money in its Free-To-Play model.

Happy Wars is a MOBA title featuring two teams of up to 15 players each. Players start off at opposing castles and taking the role of either a knight, mage or cleric, work their way across the battle field, taking control points until they reach their opponent’s castle. Unlike most MOBAs, there are no NPC characters chugging alongside the battle. All combat is player to player with a variety of skills that unlock as the battle progresses. Players are also able to switch between their knight, mage and cleric build mid-battle in between respawns to allow changes in strategy, something not seen in most MOBA cases.

Final ‘Fast & Furious 6’ Trailer Arrives

Posted on April 29, 2013

With Fast & Furious 6 set to hit theaters on May 24th, the final trailer for it dropped today. That’s right kids, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson and their gang of car nuts are back, and this time, it’s personal.

The new trailer for Fast & Furious 6 out now, and we’ve got it for you. The movie is directed by Justin Lin and also stars Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese, Ludacris and perhaps one or two more people with only one name.

Look for it to open on May 24th. Check out the final trailer, as it most often is, after the jump.

TV RECAP: ‘Grimm’ Episode 218 – ‘Volcanalis’

Posted on April 29, 2013

Wesen of the Week: Taureas Armenta

A woman, Jill, is on a mountain taking pictures of volcanic activity. She collects some rocks and returns to her truck, where a man comes out of the woods and accosts her. He tries to take the rocks from her, saying that she has not shown respect. She pepper sprays the man and drives off. The man shows his Wesen form, some sort of horned beast.

Hank is going on vacation for 3 weeks. I guess this means we’ll see more of Sgt. Wu. Or in the case of this episode, Captain Renard.

Juliette arrives home and starts seeing Nicks everywhere again. This time they are in full, human form. They are all saying different things to her, and she leaves the house freaking out. She gets in the car and drives away, but “Nick” is in the car too. She swats at him and swerves out of control, crashing her car.

Movie Review: ‘Pain & Gain’

Posted on April 26, 2013

I’m not sure whether the appropriate genre for Pain & Gain is comedy or thriller, but I am sure that it’s a story that the cosmos made specifically for Michael Bay. There’s bulked-up dudes, strippers, midgets, stereotypical gay guys, Miami, explosions, slow-motion, and cocaine and the ’90s. Mark Wahlberg is Daniel Lugo, a fitness instructor with the kind of intensity and single-mindedness that makes you feel like he’s constantly comparing his body to everyone else — and addressing each one according to rank.

His boss is the slightly-schlubby John (Rob Corddry), owner of the Sun Gym in Miami. And his best friend is fellow gym-jockey Adrian (Anthony Mackey).

That the movie opens with Daniel getting chased by the cops is a revelation that we know things won’t end well for Daniel, but the reasons take their time to unfold. We learn that Daniel’s a self-proclaimed go-getter — obsessed with his image and the idea that through physical perfection the rest of the world will lie down before you.

His heroes are Rocky, Scarface, and Don Corleone, suggesting that his understanding of reality comes from the movies and even then, he’s only read the Cliff Notes. He takes a seminar with Johnny Wu (Ken Jeong), one of those motivational speakers who similarly preaches that nothing in life is worth learning if it can’t be written on a note card or reduced to a buzzword.

First ‘Prince Avalanche’ Trailer Arrives to Give Us A Bit of Hope

Posted on April 26, 2013

We get a lot of email here at The Flickcast. A large part of it is from PR people telling us about the “next big thing” or that a new movie, TV show, game or whatever will “leave us speechless” or be “life changing” in some way.

Most of the time that’s BS. However, in the case of the upcoming film Prince Avalanche, they might just have a point. We haven’t seen the entire movie yet, of course, but if the trailer is any indication, this movie may just have what it takes to change a few lives. Or, at the very least, be highly entertaining for 90 or so minutes.

Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch star in the film, which is directed by David Gordon Green. Here’s some of the synopsis to give you an idea of what we’re talking about:

An odd couple of sorts, meditative and stern Alvin and his girlfriend’s brother, Lance, dopey and insecure, leave the city behind to spend the summer in solitude repainting traffic lines down the center of a country highway ravaged by wildfire. As they sink into their job in the remarkable landscape, they learn more than they want to about each other and their own limitations. An unlikely friendship develops through humor and nasty exchanges, leading to surprising affection.

Check out the trailer after the break.

The Flickcast – Episode 208: Cat Rape Fever!

Posted on April 26, 2013

This week on The Flickcast, things take a bit of a turn for the unusual as Chris and Matt are back to discuss a bunch of new topics and revisit a few old ones. Some of these topics include the Zach Braff Kickstarter and what it means for the future of filmmaking, who should play Daredevil in the eventual movie, Tom Cruise’s Oblivion, ordering pizza from your XBox, the secret origins of Dungeons & Dragons, cat rape and a whole lot more.

You’ll just have to listen. I will all make sense (mostly). They also made some picks his week, as usual, with Matt’s being the website Star Wars Uncut and Chris’ being the Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples comic book series Saga.

As always, if you have comments, questions, critiques, offers of sponsorship or whatever, feel free to hit us up in the comments, on Twitter, at Facebook, Google+ or via email.